Coin-operated lock.



No. 730,691 PATENTED JUNE 9, 1903' S. R. PARKES.

COIN OPERATED LOCK.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 12, 1903.

NO'MODEL.

FIG.

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SAMUEL ROWLAND PARKES,

Patented June 9, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

OF WILLENH'ALL, ENGLAND.

COIN-OPERATED LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 730,691, dated June 9,1903.

Application filed January 12, 1903.

.lying between the ends of two fingers connected to the latch, whichcoin does not fall into the till until the inside or release knobspindle is operated for the purpose of releasing oneself.

In order to facilitate conception of my in-- vention and enable the sameto be carried into practical form, I have appended hereunto a sheet ofdrawings upon which my improved coin-operated lock is illustrated.

Figure 1 shows the interior of my look from the back, the back platebeing removed. The coin is shown at the lower extremity of the chuteheld by the ends of the two fingers, the position of the parts whenoperated by the exterior knob being indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 2shows the same View as Fig. 1. The latch has, however, just beenwithdrawn by turning the inside knob, thus tilting the upper end of therelease-finger over and releasing the coin which has fallen into thetill. (Not shown on the drawings.)

In making my improved coin-operated look as suitable for use onwater-closet and other room doors where admission is obtained throughthe mediumof a coin c, I provide a chute O for the coin to slide downafter being inserted through the usual slot 8 in the turnover part ofthe casing K. This chute is made by covering a certain portion of themotion frame-plate P, which is simply a flat plate which lies flatagainst the lock-casing and is provided for holding and supporting themechanism in its correctly-assembled position and upon which themechanism is fitted and arranged, thus saving the mechanic the necessityof handling the heavy case until the mechanism is ready for insertionalready assembled on this motion frame-plate. The sides of theaforementioned chute are closed Serial No. 138,695. (No model.)

by metal strips or blocks untilnear its lower extremity, where it isopen and tapers so much that a portion of a suitable coin c droppedtherein is exposed through the slot of the chute at the sides andbottom, the circumference of the coin being in contact with the lowerends of two fingers F and F, which converge slightly and suspend thecoin in this position, which is the operative position of the lock.Attached to the upper end f of the longer of these fingers, which issituate more to the rear with respect to the latchnose and which 1 willterm the latch-operating finger F, is the latch-knob on the exterior ofthe lock-case, and about the middle of its length this finger is pivotedupona pin p, which also becomes its fulcrum when acting as a leverof.the first order, as it does when the latch-knob is pulled back in itsslot in the casing, the lower end of this finger bearin g against thecoin and transmitting the motion through the medium of the coin to theshorter front finger F aforesaid, which is also pivoted just below thelatch-bolt, its upper end f being shouldered down for the sake ofcompactness and made to work against a feather Z on the latch-bolt, bywhich the lat ter is drawn back and permits the door to be opened andclosed again, the coin still rem aining between the ends of the twofingers.

The latch-bolt L is formed of a flat piece of metal formed withprojections on itsunder side't'. e., that adjacent to the fingers-andwith two slots, one a small one, s, which accommodates one end of thepin 9, which pivots the latch-operating finger, and one, 8 immediatelyto the rear thereof, which accommodates the inside latch-knobspindleboss (which is, by the way, entirely independent of the outerlatch-knob aforesaid) which is reduced at each end and turned around, soas to pivot in the motion frame-plate and the back plate of thelock-case. This bosshas two wings w and to cast upon it, which bearagainst the fore side of a projection or feather Z on the rear of thelatch-bolt, against the back side of which a fiat spring 0 bears andholds the latch-bolt normally in a shot position. A similar spring 0also holds the latchoperating finger in its normal position.

A simple slide -bolt, (not shown on the drawings,) to which is attachedan angle-strip of metal M by a stud n, is provided inside the top ofcasing, which is shot from the inside by hand. The vertical side of theangle contains the words Vacant, Engaged, and the horizontal portion isarranged to close the coin-slot when the bolt is shot and the wordEngaged appears through an opening m in the lock-casing.

Having described the operation of the look through the medium of thecoin in opening the door and gaining admission, I will now describe theoperation of opening the door from theinside to release oneself. Thehandbolt has first to be withdrawn. Then the in side-latch knob isturned in either direction, which action forces one of the spindle-bosswings aforesaid against the rear projection Z on the latch, overcomingthe tension of the spring behind the latch. The latch-bolt L then slidesbackward, the undercut portion of its nose catching the upperextremityfof the little finger F, whose lower extremity is thereby drawnaway from the coin, which falls by gravity into the receptacle belowformed in the same casing K, The latch-bolt then returns to itsinoperative position by action of the aforesaid spring 0.

It will be understood that the casing and other parts may be made of anymetal, either cast or stamped, and finished in any suitable manner.

What I claim then is In a prepaid coin-operative lock (wherein the coinonly falls into the till after the release mechanism is operated) incombination with a coin-chute open at its lower taperedextremity,through which portions of a propersized coin project, twopivoted lever-fingers whose lower converging ends retain the coin, anexternal knob connected to the upper end of the rearward and longerfinger, the motion being transmitted throughthe medium of the aforesaidcoin through the forwardpivoted finger to the latch-bolt by which actionthe latter is withdrawn against the action .of two springs, an innerknob independent of the outer, whose spindle-boss is rotatable betweenthe lock-casing and the back plate, having arms by the rotation of whichagainst a projection on the rear of the latch-bolt the latter iswithdrawn and the coin released substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twowitnesses.

SAMUEL ROWLAND PARKES. Witnesses:

H NRY BARKER LAKE,

HAROLD J. C. FORRESTER.

